Stuck in Penumbra
by Redvines714
Summary: May Apple just wants to go home. Dan couldn't really care less. The only thing these two have in common is that these two are both tributes the 71st hunger games. May the odds be ever in their favor.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**May Apple**

I can hear the blood pounding in my ears. I can't see straight and I'm surprised I haven't fallen over yet. I'm clenching my jaw so much that it hurts and I know it can't be safe for my heart to be beating this fast. I guess that's what happens when you know your life could be over in just 60 seconds. I could consider just giving up like other tributes have done in the past. No. I have to do this. I have to win for Max. For Rue. For Marco. For Chaff. For District eleven. We haven't had a victor for quite a few years so all the weight is on my shoulders. Well there's also Cyrus. But he never knows when to shut up and I doubt he knows a thing about surviving in the wild.

I can't even imagine how Max is taking all of this. I'm the only family he has left and now I'm getting ready to enter the slaughter house. There's a one in twenty-four chance that I make it back to see my little brother again. Less than that because I don't have the training, the size or the heart to kill. I may be the fastest girl in District 11 and I may be able to throw knife and a few punches, but some of these kids have been training their whole lives for this moment. Some of them volunteered. That makes me sick. So many of us would do anything to prevent us from being selected but these kids would kill to get the chance to **die**. Sure there's eternal glory and riches to those who win but I'd rather be poor and alive then chance it. But it's far too late for me. I'm already about to die. I'm just glad Rue and Marco will be there to take care of Max when I'm not there for him anymore. Dang… I really need to work on this whole positive attitude thing that Rue always talks about.

Instead of freaking myself out further, I survey the competition. There are the obvious Careers, the brawny blonde who's sporting a smile, the curly blonde haired girl who looks perfectly harmless, but I know better, and there's the deadly looking ginger. I struggle to remember their names… Mitch, Nelly and Alicia I think. All I have to do is make it to the golden Cornucopia before them and make it out alive. Sounds easy enough…

There are a few other kids that caught my eye in the interviews and training… The twins, the incredibly small twelve year old, some kid that looks like a walking corpse and this giant brute that has a tattoo of a cat on his left foot. This one boy, I believe his name was Tal, struck my interest the moment I saw him. He played the 'I don't care about winning or losing I just wanna have fun' role during his interview. It's obvious he's lying and too proud to admit he's scared out of his mind. He's a district 12 and has less of a chance of winning then I do, so he knows he's gonna die. But I do envy that he's seemed to master the whole positive attitude thing, even if I suspect it's a fake.

I realize I probably have only fifteen seconds until the gong rings so I replay the words of my mentor, Chaff, again and again. "Run as fast as you can, grab a weapon then get yourself under cover. Trees, bushes… anything." We went through the plan for the bloodbath and the events following it countless times. Knives, run, water, live. Knives, run, water, live. That's all that's going through my mind. I could cross the river behind the Cornucopia into what looks like just a swamp, but that would take far too long. My only choice is to run into the thick pine trees.

When the gong sounds, everything turns into complete madness. I realize quickly that the chaos is greater in person then on the screen at home but I seem to out run everyone to the Cornucopia, leaving most of the madness behind. The few tributes that weren't delayed by oncoming attackers or who instantly ran away are on my tail. I manage to grab a pack of throwing knives then make a break for it. Mitch already has a spiked mace and is beating down a pig like girl who was grabbing a backpack. I can already tell the Capital will love him. In the corner of my eye I notice the ginger Career running towards me. I grab the kid closest to me by his backpack and use him as a shield, blocking her knife. Poor kid. Swinging his backpack over my shoulders, I run into the woods.

**Dan Gibson**

I don't expect myself to win. I may never miss a target with my bow but I'm not a Career and I'm certainly not in the best shape of my life. It's not like I'm fat or anything… In fact I'm skinny. So skinny that my skin forms a tightly fitted sheet around my ribs. But ever sense the accident, I've never been able to do much. Sure I made a full recovery, but it's the addiction that really hit me hard. It's easy getting a hold of morphling when you live in District 6. The dealers will sell to anybody. Even a seven year old kid who sells his mothers necklace. That's right. Seven. At first I needed the morphling for the pain, but I got addicted to it fast. Five years later and here I am. Still craving morphling (even though I've been trying to quit), looking like a walking corpse and occasionally shivering uncontrollably. My mentor is completely a nutter. He's been a morphling addict since he was 15 and he's 35… That's part of the reason why I stopped. I've seen the lasting effects of morphling. Thankfully I don't have the yellow, saggy skin and my brain isn't muddled. I know it's bad for me but I got addicted. But that's in the past. And since I know I don't have much of a future, I better focus on the present.

The second the gong sounds everyone is off. People sprinting to the forest, idiots running to the Cornucopia and a few getting slaughtered right off the bat. I wait a few seconds then run straight into the trees, grabbing nothing.

Even though I'm a morphine addict and look dead, I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I can climb trees in an instant and I can stay perfectly still… except when I shiver. I also remember everything. I don't know if I have some supernatural ability or I just have an exceptional memory. It's probably the latter… but I can dream can't I? No. Actually I'm pretty sure all dreams and hopes went away with my family's love. My only hope is to not die too painfully because if I did, I'd be craving morphling on my way out. That's not how I want to go.

Most tributes would run as far away from the carnage as possible but I prefer to watch, learning as much as I can about my enemies. I bet none of the tributes know who I am, let alone noticed my escape. But I might as well wait and listen instead of fight right?

I can tell immediately who the Careers are. Mitch Renteria, a ruthless, typical Career. Nelly France, the not-as-sweet-as-I-look girl. And Alicia Wade, the one whose eyes give away that she's silent but deadly. There's another boy that I probably with the Careers. They always have a strategist and they rarely win in the end. This time it's Forrest Miller.

I analyze each tribute carefully, making mental notes of where they all went, whose still alive and what weapons they have. The Careers are currently killing the last tribute left at the Cornucopia. Kevin Robbins lets out a scream before they deliver the final blow. The Capital must be going wild. I wonder if I've gotten any screen time. The idea seems doubtful, but you never know. The twins- Dean and Emily Hampton- have taken off into the woods. It must really suck to come here with your twin. What are the chances…? But at least they know they have at least one family member that loves them when they die.

There are nine bodies littering the ground, bathing in their own blood. Nine lives gone forever. Nine families grieving. Nine cannon shots. It's really sick. I do my best to suppress a shiver, but it's no use. Thankfully the Careers don't notice the closest tree shake slightly seeing as they're too busy taking jackets and supplies from the dead tributes. I wonder how they can do it… kill all these people and still be able to treat their corpses like dirt. Nelly kicks aside the body of a once pretty girl, but now her face is covered in blood and her body mangled. Mitch spits in the face of Bobbie Page, my fellow District 6 tribute. Oh well… I never really liked her. She looks (and smells like…) a pig.

So there are 9 down, 15 to go. Well fourteen and a half. The district four girl, Melissa was stabbed in the stomach by Nelly but she made it away. I doubt she'll make it to morning. I stand up in the tree, jumping tree to tree farther into the woods, looking for Melissa. When she dies I want to be there because I'm fairly positive she grabbed a backpack.

It may seem weird that I can jump from trees silently without anyone noticing but to me its second nature. My light weight helps a bit but I've always been agile. My mother hates this about me. I'm always able to get away from a well deserved beating.

When I find Melissa, she's in a worse state then I imagined. Not only is she forced to hold in the contents of her stomach, but she's also lying in a puddle of blood. She's going to bleed out in no time. All that's left to do is to wait, something I'm very good at.

A/N:

I worked a long time on this story, planning it and deciding how to make all the characters. It was weird to finally be writing it. This is my first (non harry potter) fanfiction so I hope you guys all like it! I wanted to make it from the point of view of two tributes instead of just one because I LOVE Dan. I was originally going to focus on May Apple but I realized I liked him He's really fun to write! And I know… May Apple is a strange name. But I have my reasons..

Let me know what you think! It means so much to me if you tell me if you hate it or like it or whatever! And thanks for reading!

Redvines714


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**May Apple**

I don't stop running until I reach a small creek. Watching my back I lean down to fill a small canteen that was in the bag I took from the tribute. Although my throat burns with thirst, I wait for the iodine to work, purifying the water. While I wait, I climb up a tree as tall as I dare. I know better than to wait for the Careers on the ground. By now they're probably searching the woods for unlucky tributes. The game really is unfair. It's illegal to train for the Hunger Games, but they still do and everyone knows it. But there's nothing the Capitol will do.

The dark brown bag blends into the surroundings very well. It's sickening that it's partially coated in the dead tributes blood. Oh well… I better get used to the blood sooner than later. Besides the iodine and canteen, the pack holds some extra knifes (now I have twelve), some wire, crackers, dried fruit and a thin sleeping bag. I know the dried fruit and crackers won't last long, so I'm going to have to get some other food somehow.

Last summer, Rue taught me all about plants. Which ones will kill you, which ones can save you and which ones are nutritious. I drop down from the tree, bringing my pack with me and withdrawing a knife. You can never be too careful and the last thing I want is someone stealing my stuff or sneaking up behind me.

The one plant I've always known about is mayapple. The plant my mother named me after. She used to joke around saying that I was okay in small doses, but too much of me could kill. It really is true. I'm so pessimistic and motherly that even Rue gets sick of me.

I manage to find some mayapple and a few other plants that I know are edible. After double checking the plants to make sure I find the right ones, I place them all carefully in my backpack. I even manage to come across a rabbit on my way back to my tree. Killing him instantly with a throwing knife, I smile. As much as I hate killing animals, I'm going to need some protein.

Suddenly a cannon fires. Adrenaline running through my veins and my heart pounding, I climb back into my tree. My mind rushes to the faces of the many tributes, just like me, thrown into this arena. Who was it this time?

Was it the tiny boy who looks younger than Max? One of the loyal twins? The gangly red haired boy? As much as I hate to wish a child died, I hope it's one of the Careers. But that seems doubtful. I just hope it wasn't Tal. Even though I know no friendship can last the games, I don't want him to die. He looks just like most of the other tributes from District 12. Olive skin and shaggy black hair, just short enough to reveal his grey eyes. There was something in those eyes that were different than the rest of the frightened tributes. Hell, he's still scared but there is something more than that. He reminds me of myself. But who am I kidding? I know nothing about this kid and it'd be best if he died now. Just so I wouldn't be faced with the problem of doing it myself.

The sun has already disappeared beyond the horizon, so I tie myself into the tree and slip into my sleeping bag. I've seen other tributes in the past do this, but it feels so insecure, so instead I get down from the tree. I located the largest bush I can find and crawl underneath it. Making sure I am completely covered, I crawl into my bag.

Sipping my water, I wait for the Capital anthem so I can find out if Tal died or not. I'm almost asleep when I hear the scared panting of a boy. He runs through the bushes and breaks down crying. It's the little boy… I can't even remember his name. I want to go over to him and comfort him, but it seems like a bad idea. So I just watch him.

He's not the brightest of kids because the first thing he does is make a fire to keep himself warm. He's a goner. The Careers will see the smoke and be here in moments. I think to warn him but it's too late. The Careers are already running towards us. I can hear them and the look on his face tells me he can too. He struggles to climb a tree but Mitch grabs him by his shirt and pulls him down. The poor kid breaks down in tears, begging for mercy. Nelly and Alicia just laugh. He begs for a quick death, to save his family from the pain but they laugh harder.

That's when it happens. He's eyes lock with mine and I know he knows I'm here. He's begging for help. I could probably save him, take out one Careers then they'd be distracted. I would be a hero for him and his family, maybe even District 5. His baby blue eyes are screaming for help. But I'm no hero. I'm a coward, but he still hopes and pleads with me. With the blow of a bloody mace and the slice of a knife, cutting his throat, he's a goner. The Careers run before the cannon shot, taking his small pack.

When I am absolutely positive they are gone, I crawl towards him. He's still alive, breathing shallow, frantic breaths. There is nothing I can do but apologize.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I should have saved you, I could have" I whisper, tears streaming down my face. I cover his wound with my hand, trying to do something, but I know it is hopeless.

His blonde hair is dyed crimson and there are streams of blood-free skin where his tears washed it away. I don't know if his mouth was just moving, struggling to get a breath or if he mouthed something comfort to me. It's sad that I'm the one who needs to be comforted but I swear he mouthed "_No worries_".

His breathing stops and a cannon fires. I close his eyes with my hand and kiss his forehead. He looks so peaceful, but I know his family is in so much pain right now.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper, this time for his family and friends back in District 5. As I crawl back into my sleeping bag, the hovercraft comes to take his body away. The next time his family will see him will be in a wooden box, delivered to their front door. I'm a monster.

**Dan Gibson**

I was lucky that Melissa died quickly, because I was getting hungry. Her pack had a dagger, a long-sleeved shirt, strange sunglasses, and flint. I was able to use her dagger to kill two rabbits and a couple of fish I found in a pond. Eating one of the fish raw takes a while because it's hard to stomach. I've never liked raw fish but I can't chance a fire on the first night. I also got lucky enough to find some bird eggs in a nest, but I'm going to have to save those for later.

I climb into the tallest tree and put on the extra shirt because the temperature is dropping quickly. Our uniforms this year consist of relatively warm brown jackets, green tunics and black pants. The boots are comfortable but not my style. The extra black shirt is a tightly fit, long-sleeve shirt made out of some sort of stretchy material. I put it on under my green tunic and it instantly radiates my heat, making me instantly warm.

When the Capital anthem begins to play, I get comfortable and wait for the faces to begin to show.

The first face is Melissa. Her narrowed eyes validate my suspicion as to why she didn't join the Careers. She doesn't trust anyone, and preferred to work alone. Maybe that strategy would have worked if she'd been luckier. After her is Roy, the young boy who looks so much like my little brother Micah. He never stood a chance… Next is Meghan, from District 5. She is like a giant-woman. At least four times my size. The next is Bobbie, the other tribute from my district. She died being stupid, trying to get a weapon from the thick of the bloodbath. Gina, the girl who Nelly kicked aside is next. She really was beautiful which just makes things worse. Along with a grieving family, she probably also has a sobbing boyfriend. How cute.

Next is Nathaniel and Tracy, the short kids from 8, Heidi Hodges from 9 and Kevin Robbins from 10. I'm surprised that Cyrus got out so quick. He got a ten out of twelve with his evaluation with the Gamemakers, but I guess that isn't everything. I got a 2 and I'm still alive. Partially because I didn't show them anything, I just told jokes. But I guess they thought I was sort of funny because they gave me a two not a one…

Last but not least is Tarah, the girl tribute from District 12. District 12's tributes never win and this girl is so tiny from years of hunger that it lessened her chances. She probably had to take out tesserae for her whole family for a few years, increasing the poor girl's chance of being selected. My oldest brother, Josh, never had to take any tesserae because my family always had enough to eat. But as punishment my mother made me take out fifteen tessarae each year. We don't need the food because there are only four people in my family and District 6 kids hardly ever need it. They had me take it out so my chances of being entered increased dramatically. The only legal way for my family to get rid of me.

Thinking about this stuff severely depresses me and makes me crave morphling… So I push it out of my mind and try to fall asleep.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know what yah think:)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**May Apple**

_The surrounding fifteens of District 11 are shaking around me. We're all more scared than we have ever been before. Each year the reapings get scarier and scarier. Some of us know there's a lot higher chance of us being picked then the others. I'm just glad my little Maximilian is only nine. He still has three years until he has to face the reapings. And he will only be forced to take tessera one year. The community home forces each kid to take out two tesserae. One for them and one for the younger kids who can't take theirs out yet. When I turn nineteen I get kicked out and I can take Max with me._

_My eyes meet Max's. Rue and him are huddled together shaking in fear for Marco and I. Marco's chances are way less because he's never taken any tesserae but his name could still get picked._

_The man from the Capitol steps up after the mayor is done giving his little speech about the Dark Days, the Capitol, the Districts and the dreaded Hunger Games. He reaches his hand into the bowl of girls names. No one is breathing. Clearing his throat, he speaks out a single name._

"_May Apple"_

I wake up covered in dew or perhaps sweat, but completely confused. It takes me a moment to remember where I am. The dried blood across from me reminds me of the night's events. Shame and sadness wash over me. Max would have saved him. Is he disappointed in me?

Prolonging the time in my sleeping bag, I go over whose left. Mitch, Nelly, Alicia, the boy from District 2, the twins from 3, the boy from 4, the walking corpse from 6, Cat tattoo, gangly ginger, the girl from 10, myself and Tal. That's 13 of us left in this arena.

Shivering I get out of my sleeping bag and crawl out of the bush. I don't realize until I'm fully out of my makeshift shelter that there's a light snow on the ground. It's melting quickly but it's going to make camouflaging much more difficult. The Gamemakers obviously did this on purpose to make it harder for us to hide.

Absolutely starving, I eat some of the roots I gathered yesterday. I risk making a small fire so I can eat some of my rabbit, but I keep it well contained. To be safe I packed up my bag so I can make a break for it if anyone comes. Luckily no one comes and I am able to cook the rabbit. I eat about half of it, saving the rest for later. The protein fills me up far more then the plants do, but I'm still starving. I need to find a more reliable food source, but all I can find is a bush with bright red berries. Unsure of what they are, I leave them be. I don't want to be the idiot who dies of poison berries.

I do find some more roots, so I spend some time gathering those while another canteen of water purifies. While I was at the Capitol, training for the games, I focused a lot of survival skills. I learned how to make a few snares, so I attempt to set some up. They look terrible. If they catch anything the animals will probably abnormally stupid or something.

Munching on the roots and sipping my water I lay under the bush, waiting for prey or a predator to walk by. I feel completely useless, lying here doing nothing, but it's better than going out to find trouble. I play with my food like a child to pass the time.

After hours of lying on the ground, my stomach is growling and my legs are asleep. Sighing, I get up to gather more plants and stretch my legs. As I kneel down to gather more roots for later, I hear footsteps. Trying to withhold a gasp, I slowly stand and reach for my knife. Shit. I left my knifes under my bush. God, if I die I totally deserve it.

It's like the beginning of the games all over again. My pulse is racing and my vision is blurred. I'm an easy target. I lean against a tree, holding my breath. I'm too far away from my bush to risk it and I can't run away, leaving all my stuff behind. Thankfully I know some hand-to-hand combat, but chances are they have a weapon.

Clenching my fists, I slowly look around the tree. It's the gangly ginger. He hesitates for a fraction of a second and I punch his freckled face as hard as I can. He drops the staff he's holding, and I kick him in the gut. He falls to his knees and his face is covered in blood. I think I broke his nose. Before he can react, I sprint back to my bush and grab everything. I'm forced to leave my sleeping bag because I never packed it up the second time.

I sprint as fast as I can, trying to get as much distance between myself and the boy. I manage to make it pretty far before I'm completely out of breath. Not daring to spend tonight on the ground I climb into a sturdy tree. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, the temperature drops and it begins to snow. Now I really regret leaving my sleeping bag behind.

On the positive side, I must have gotten a few more sponsors on my side, now that they know I can throw a punch and take care of myself. Let's hope I can keep it up.

**Dan Gibson**

Watching the Careers is like watching a pack of wolves. They all think they're the alpha so they fight non-stop. They are all part of the same pack so they stick together but they all hate each other. The best part is they leave the weakest link alone when they go out to hunt.

The poor boy Forrest was told to guard the large pile of food, tools and supplies while Mitch, Nelly and Alicia look for stray tributes they can kill off. They probably didn't expect someone to come in and attack an armed Career. I didn't either.

I first noticed Viola, the girl from District 10, hiding in the brush. She's a lot like me, waiting and watching. She has a green blow gun and a pack of blowdarts. I can't quite tell if they are poisoned or not, but it seems pointless to attack when shes about to take out a target for me. She loads the blow gun and aims it at the boy.

With one deep breath and an acurate hit, the boy is on the ground. The dart is launched deep into his neck but the puncture doesn't seem to be his biggest problem. His lips seem to be turning purple-blue and his eyes are bulging. He's breathing is rapid and he's drooling. I guess the darts were poisonous after all. Viola just prances past him and takes all the food and supplies she can carry. She leaves before the boy is even dead, confident of it's effects.

After I'm sure she's gone, I drop down and approach the pile of supplies. As I'm filling up my bag, Forrest's screaming distracts me. I know I shouldn't care about him, he's just a stupid Career, but it seems wrong to have him be in so much pain.

When I walk over to him he's in bad shape. Tears are streaming down his face and the veins in his neck and forehead are bulging. The Careers are probably making a beeline to this place, for their supplies not for Forrest. I pity him.

He's looking up at me but it doesn't look like he sees me. The only comfort I can give him is kind words and slitting his throat.

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever" I whisper to him. Most people think it's strange, the way I talk. I learned most my quotes from books I've found around my house or at my district's library and I easily remember all of them. The Capitol destroyed a lot of books… but not all of them.

Taking my dagger, I quickly slit his throat. A few seconds later a cannon fires…

"True goodbyes are the ones never said… or explained" I whisper, then run off into the woods.


End file.
